Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed that he was forced to escalate matters to Nigeria’s highest political office to ensure national team players received their long overdue bonuses following the 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup held in Russia.
Speaking during a recent episode of The Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea midfielder disclosed that players were owed qualification bonuses for months before the tournament but received repeated assurances from football administrators that payment would be made once the team assembled for camping.
Okay News reports that Mikel explained how the unresolved situation placed pressure on him as team captain, with players demanding answers as the competition drew closer. According to him, the bonuses were not gifts but earnings from Nigeria’s successful qualification for the global tournament.
“Talking about fighting for players’ bonuses, I went above the president of the Nigeria Football Federation to get those bonuses, which is what I did a couple of times during the World Cup,” Mikel said.
He further explained that the Fédération Internationale de Football Association typically releases advance funds known as parachute money to participating countries ahead of major tournaments. These funds, he said, are meant to cover logistics and player entitlements, while football federations often borrow money in advance and repay lenders once official payments arrive.
“Leading up to the World Cup, we were owed money,” Mikel stated. “We had been asking for this money for months before the tournament. They kept telling me, ‘Oh, Mikel, do not worry, the money will be sorted when you come to camp.’ I said, ‘Okay, no problem, but make sure the money is there because the players are asking me about their bonuses.’”
According to the former midfielder, the same assurances were repeated after the team arrived at camp, yet nothing changed. He said the players grew increasingly anxious as days passed without payment, fearing that once the tournament ended, their bonuses might never be released.
“A week went by. The players kept coming to me saying, ‘Mikel, we need this money. Once the World Cup is over, we do not know if we will ever get it,’” he recalled.
With no resolution in sight, Mikel said he contacted Abba Kyari, who was then Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, to intervene in the matter.
“I called him and said, ‘Mr Chief of Staff, we have a serious issue in the national team. We need this money to settle the players. This is what was promised,’” Mikel said.
He disclosed that within twenty four hours, a private aircraft delivered the funds directly to the team’s hotel. “The money was delivered hand to hand. Millions of dollars,” he said, adding that he immediately handed the funds to the team secretary with strict instructions that it must go directly to the players.
The former captain noted that bonuses were calculated and distributed to all players involved in the World Cup qualification campaign the following day. However, his actions reportedly angered senior football officials, including the then president of the Nigeria Football Federation.
“They said, ‘Mikel, why did you do this? You have made us look like idiots,’” he recounted. “I said, ‘Are you serious? I have been asking you for this money for months.’”
Mikel stressed that the funds were earned entitlements and not special favours. “This money is owed. It is not a favour,” he said.
Nigeria exited the 2018 World Cup at the group stage after defeats to Croatia and Argentina, despite recording a victory against Iceland. The country earned $16 million in prize money from the tournament, which remains Nigeria’s most recent World Cup appearance.
Mikel retired from international football a year later after making ninety one appearances for Nigeria. He won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and secured an Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Games.
